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“Get a little closer” is a brand campaign recently launched in Australia by Nescafé instant coffee. Spotlighting the difference between catching up online and face-to-face, Nescafé calls on people to “turn off the gadgets, turn on the kettle and enjoy a cup of coffee together.”

Given that Australians are still recovering from recession-related anxiety, championing “good old-fashioned quality time” is a strong strategy for Nescafé. It’s reminiscent of other efforts we saw during the downturn, such as a Coca-Cola campaign from Germany that showed Coke at the center of a family meal. Nescafé is also leveraging some backlash against social media, a phenomenon I wrote about on JWTintelligence. And the brand is tapping into the Savoring Simple Pleasures trend we spotlighted in our 2009 forecast.

While the strategy and idea are interesting, at the executional level the campaign stumbles. I’d argue this is because while it shows the reality of “catching up” face to face, it fails to capture the emotion and feeling of connecting. This is also exacerbated by the disconnect between the message and the media—because if “Profile pics are funnier live,” then static outdoor posters are slightly oxymoronic media choice. But Nescafé nails it with direct mail. I received a card containing multiple coffee samplers with the message “When was the last time you had a real conversation? Take time to share a coffee moment with someone special. Our treat.” Right message in the right place.